“You think my Cherry has been playing us all this time? You think she’s been, what? Manipulating me to get close to the family?” I consider the irony, but I don’t find any of it funny.
“Maybe,” Antony says with a shrug.
“Hear me out, boss.” Threes takes in a long breath before he continues. “Let’s say for a moment that Cherry does know who her birth parents are. If she knows that, and she’s even been in contact with the Ramsay family, she could have been shoved into your life to do just what she has done—get under your skin. The Ramsays would have known you’d be looking for a marriage soon, and they might have jumped at the chance to get one of their own into our family.”
“You couldn’t plant a more perfect spy,” Antony says. “She’s so sweet and innocent on the outside, but…”
I stand, pull back my arm, and punch Antony in the jaw. He goes flying back, and Threes reaches out to steady him before he lands on his ass.
“Enough!” I yell. “I can’t stand all the fucking speculation!”
“You have to at least consider it, Nate!” Antony yells back as he straightens himself. “We have to think about the family first—always! I know it fucking sucks, but you have to consider it!”
I ball both hands into fists and take a step a closer to Antony, but he stands his ground.
“Family first,” he says again, softer this time. “You know it has to be that way, Nate.”
My chest tightens up, and I drop my hands. I take a few deep breaths and look from Antony to Threes and back again.
“There is only one way I’m going to get to the truth.” I turn to grab my phone. I quickly text Cherry, asking if she’s done with work. When she replies that she is, I tell her to get over to the house. She questions me, which nearly causes me to throw the phone against the wall, but I manage to restrain myself.
Just get over here.
“You just showed your hand,” Pops says.
“I don’t care. I need to get to the bottom of this.”
“Sometimes there is no bottom.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“What is what supposed to mean?” Antony asks. “Boss, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Not talking to you.” I nod my head in Pops’ direction as I keep staring at the phone.
Antony and Threes glance at each other, clearly confused. Once I tell them that I’ve told Cherry to come over here, they both nod slowly.
“Do you want us to be here when she comes?”
“No. I want you both to keep digging. There has to be more information out there, and I need it immediately. I’ll talk to Cherry.”
“Whatever you want, Nate.”
“Do you want me to keep close?” Threes asks.
“I…I don’t know.” I shake my head. The only reason to have Threes remain nearby is if I’m going to do something…drastic. I can’t think about that—not now. Not yet.
I wait, still looking at the phone, but Cherry doesn’t reply to my last text. I hope that means she’s on her way over to my house, not to the west side of town and the arms of the Ramsays.
I look over to the wall near Pops’ portrait, but he’s managed to leave the room without my seeing him.
Apparently, I’m on my own for this one.
Chapter 18—Confrontation
Eyes closed, I coil my fingers around the velvet box and try to keep myself from hurling it across the room. I can’t stop myself from thinking about proposing to her. I keep seeing the image of myself holding out the ring and the look on her face when she realizes what’s happening—an image that may now be a fantasy never to come to fruition.
Cherry is on her way here now, and I have no idea how to confront her with what I’ve learned. Where do I even start? Her internet date, her connection to the Ramsays, or the fact that I feel like she’s ripped open my chest and carved up my heart with a razor blade?